Who wants to be a minimalist?

A friend once told me that he owns over a hundred bottles of niche perfumes which he collected over the years. Another friend has over thirty pairs of shoes that he enjoys collecting for different occasions. I was joking when I suggested that they may be obsessed about collecting such items, so they protested saying being a psychiatrist made me over-diagnose people. The sad part is that they both tell me that the thrill of getting that particular item soon fades away and they start looking for a new one to get a thrill, and so on.

While some people may find collecting items for pleasure an innocent hobby when they can afford it and it does not harm their health, others find it a product of modern life which turns people into customers running after what they want rather than what they really need. This can be apparent when you browse your favorite social media platforms and find yourself bombarded with tailor-made advertisements that encourage you to buy more so you could be like the influences who are paid to sell you almost anything and everything.

Yet, despite having the latest gadget and the coolest car some people still feel empty and unfulfilled. This is why we find some people choosing to be minimalists. What does the term minimalist means? The term minimalism was first used to describe a type of artwork featuring simple lines and few colours, and careful placement of those lines and colors became popular. The concept was later used to describe someone who chooses to live with fewer possessions, focusing only on what he needs, removing unnecessary materialistic items, relationships, and other distractions to focus on doing more of the things that matter to him or her.

From a psychological point of view, being a minimalist can be an effective way to relieve stress as having fewer items means you don’t have to worry about clearing items that accumulate in your house. So you feel more focused and productive. People who practice minimalism describe having more time, energy, freedom, and even more money to pursue what is most important to them.

As a concept, minimalism is not limited to materials but includes relationships, media consumption, commitments, and anything that demands your time and attention. It also encourages us to focus less on the deficiencies in our basic needs and more on the things that contribute to our personal growth which has a positive impact on our well-being. Another important benefit of minimalism is that it helps preserve the environment as excessive consumption increases pollution and consumes natural resources. Psychologist research studying the link between minimalism and happiness found a positive relationship between voluntary simplicity and well-being. This can be because minimalism encourages people to focus on their psychological needs such as autonomy, competence, and relatedness which have been shown to promote psychological growth. If you have thought of adopting a minimalist lifestyle it is never too late, many resources can give you practical tips to try, remember the saying “Rome wasn't built in a day” so take your time, set your objectives and off you go.